Profile of cardiovascular risk factors and mortality in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease

Introduction: The present study examines cardiovascular risk factor profiles and 24-month mortality in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease. Design Study: Prospective observational study including 75 consecutive patients with PAD (67 ± 9.7 years of age; 52 men and 23 women) hospitalized for planned peripheral vascular reconstruction. Doppler echocardiograms were performed before surgery in 54 cases. Univariate analyses were performed using Student's t-test or Fisher's exact test. Survival analysis at 24-month follow-up was performed using the Cox regression model and Kaplan-Meier method including age and chronic use of aspirin as covariates. Survival curves were compared using the log-rank test. Results: Hypertension and smoking were the most frequent risk factors (52 cases and 51 cases, respectively), followed by diabetes (32 cases). Undertreated dyslipidemia was found in 26 cases. Fasting glycine levels (131 ± 69.1 mg/dl) were elevated in 29 cases. Myocardial hypertrophy was found in 18 out of 54 patients. Thirty-four patients had been treated with aspirin. Overall mortality over 24 months was 24% and was associated with age (HR: 0.064; CI95: 0.014-0.115; p=0.013) and lack of use of aspirin, as no deaths occurred among those using this drug (p<0.001). No association was found between cardiovascular death (11 cases) and the other risk factors. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of uncontrolled (treated or untreated) cardiovascular risk factors in patients undergoing planned peripheral vascular reconstruction, and chronic use of aspirin is associated with reduced all-cause mortality in these patients.

Penile carcinoma: Risk factors and molecular alterations

Penile carcinoma is a rare, male cancer. Although the incidence of penile carcinoma is very low in Western countries, in some countries, the incidence is significantly greater, with penile carcinoma accounting for ≤10% of all male malignancies. Greater insight has been gained in recent years as to its pathogenesis, the risk factors associated with its development, and the clinical and histological precursor lesions related to this disease. In this review, risk and conditions factors for penile carcinoma, molecular alterations in this type of cancer, histological types, and prognostic factors will be discussed in order to further our understanding of the biology and behavior of this cancer. ©2011 with author. Published by TheScientificWorld.

Supply Chain Management practices in the electro-electronics sector in Brazil: Evolutionary approach, information technology adoption and management actions

This paper examines the current level of adoption of Supply Chain Management (SCM) practices in the electro-electronic sector in Brazil and aims to identify the management and Information Technology (IT) actions that have been implemented to support the adoption of those practices. An e-mail survey was conducted. Descriptive statistics techniques were employed for data analysis. This study makes contributions to the electro-electronics sector and to the topics related to SCM, such as identifi cation and level of adoption of SCM practices. Another contribution of this research is the investigation of whether approaches such as Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP), Workshop with Customers, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Workshop with Suppliers and electronic Kanban are commonly used to support SCM practices. So far, this is the fi rst research on SCM practices in the electro-electronics sector in Brazil. Copyright © 2012 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Rationalizing social policy: evaluation and viability

Includes bibliography

Financing and management of education in Latin America and the Caribbean: preliminary version

Includes bibliography

Financing and management of education in Latin America and the Caribbean: summary

Includes bibliography

Investing better in order to invest more. Finance and management of education in Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Light microscopic evaluation and scanning electron microscopic analysis of horse eyes following deep anterior lamellar keratectomy

Objective To describe the technique of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) with Descemet's membrane (DM) exposure in horse eyes. Also, to compare the efficacy and safety of viscodissection and big-bubble techniques for DALK. Animals studied Thirty-four ex vivo horse eyes. Procedure Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty was performed in 34 ex vivo horse eyes. Two groups (Group V - viscodissection - 2% sodium hyaluronate; Group A - air - big-bubble) of 17 eyes were studied. Other than the substance used, the surgical technique was similar for both groups. Nonperforated eyes were submitted for light microscopic histologic evaluation and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis. Results Group V - Perforations occurred in 18% of the eyes during surgery. Light microscopy revealed exposure of DM in 28% of the eyes with mean thickness of the remaining stroma being 70.4μm. Group A - Perforations occurred in 42% of the eyes. Light microscopy revealed exposure of DM in 60% of the eyes with mean thickness of the remaining stroma being 23.3μm. No significant differences in safety, efficacy and thickness of the remaining stroma (including all eyes or excluding those with DM exposure) were observed. SEM of the surgical site revealed a more even surface in those eyes with DM exposure compared to eyes with thicker remaining stroma in both groups. Conclusions We describe two DALK techniques (viscodissection and big-bubble) for use in horses. No significant differences in safety, efficacy and thickness of the remaining stroma were observed. However, a nonsignificant trend toward the big-bubble technique being more efficacious but less safe was observed. © 2012 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Estrategia para el desarrollo y manejo de la región andina: una propuesta de acción a nivel de cuenca hidrográfica = Strategy for the development and management of the Andean region: a proposal for action at the river-basin level

Incluye Bibliografía

Informe del Seminario Internacional sobre Sistemas Integrados para el Desarrollo y Gestión de Cuencas Hidrográficas en la Región Andina de América Latina = Report of the International Seminar on Integrated Systems for the Development and Management of River Basins in the Andean Region of Latin America

Contiene organización de los trabajos, resumen de los debates y recomendaciones y conclusiones. Incluye además, definición de términos utilizados; criterios para definir las principales características y necesidades de las zonas altas de la Región Andina; lista de participantes y lista de documentos presentados en el Seminario.